Locomotive headlight



3 Sheets-sheaf 2 J. R. TOWNSEND LOGOMOTIVE HEADLIGHT Filed Dec. 20. 1923I May 17, 1927.

J r w BEE ATTORNEY mvENToR Jo/70 1? 7511105900 w mzsszs Patented May 17,1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. TOWNSEND, or son'rn BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO wnsrmenonsn ELEC-TRIO & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

VLOCOMOTIVE HEADLIGHT.

Application filed December 20, 1923. Serial No. 681,757.

My invent-ion relates to headlights and particularly to headlightsadapted for heavy duty, such as steam locomotive headlights. In aheadlight for steam locomotives, it is necessary to provide a structurewhich will withstand rough usage and will ensure adequateprotection frombreakage of the lamp, the reflector and the focusing device.

Another matter of great importance is to provide adequate protection ofthe above named units from dust and moisture, since the accumulation ofdust and moisture in those parts rapidly decreased the efliciency of theheadlight.

It is necessary also to provide a unit, the parts of which are easilyaccessible in order to make adjustments, replacements and the like.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a structure whichshall protect the reflector and other parts from damage.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a structure which shallexclude dust and moisture from the reflector and the lamp. I

A further object of my invention is to provide a structure which shallprotect the focusing device from dust and moisture.

A still further object of my invent-ion is to provide a structure inwhich the several devices composing the headlight shall be easilyaccessible.

My invention is directed to a structure composed of severaldust-and-moisture-proof compartments which are joined together to formthe casing of the headlight. In the compartments, the lamps and controlclevices are mounted in such manner that the amount of illumination ispractically independent of external conditions.

Specifically, I provide a headlight consisting of a marker light, afocusing device and a light-transmitting unit. Each unit is contained ina separate compartment and is easily accessible for replacements andadjustments. The compartmentv containing the reflector is provided witha hinged door in which the lens is mounted. The hinged door is sodisposed that it is constantly held against a cushioned gasket mountedin the rim of the door, when in the closed position, by a set offloating hinges, thereby insuring a perfect seal. The lens is, likewiseset against a similar gasket so that dust and moisture are excluded.

closed by cover plates which are also tightly sealed. These threecompartments are combined into the headlight unit, and means are,

provided for introducing the lead wires or mounting a JLlIlCtlOIl boardin the marker light case in a manner which contributes to the advantagesmentioned above.

In the accompanying drawing constitutmg a part hereof and in which likereference characters indicate like parts,

Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view of my headlight showing therelation of the different compartments;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational View, showing the relation of the parts, I

lxig. 3 is a side elevational View thereof, anc I A Fig. ,4 is anenlarged fragmentary sectional view of the marker-light construction.

The headlight comprises the lighting, focusing and marker elementcontained in three compartments. The focusing compartment or case 1 andthe marker-light compartment or boX 2 are both mounted on a reflectorcasing 3 and the whole structure is attached to the standard 4: by meansof screws 5.

The lighting unit (Fig. 1), comprises a lamp 6 and a reflector 7 mountedin the reflector casing 3. The reflector casing is provided with a rimorflange 8 adapted to engage a rubber or felt gasket 9 in the door 10 ofthe casing which is provided with a lens 11 suitably mounted therein.The lens '11 is retained in the door by suitable clamps 12 which pressthe lens against another gasket or washer 13 mounted in 'a channel inthe door.

The door 10 is supported on a pair of brackets 14 attached to the casing8 and it is held in a closed position by suitably disposed bolts 15 andwing nuts 16. Upon the door 10 and the brackets 14 on the casing, a pairof floating hinges are mounted which cooperate with the gasket 9 in thedoor to maintain a dust and moisture proof seal.

The door is provided with brackets 17 which are attached to floatinghinge bolts 18 by means of a pin 19. The floating hinge bolts 18 areslidably mounted in brackets 14 attached to the casing 3 and are securedthereto by lock nuts 20 and 21. A coil spring 22 is mounted on eachhinge bolt between the lock nut 21 and the bracket 14 in such a mannerthat, when the door is closed, the springs are compressed.

Therefore, in the closed position, the door floats between the springs22 and the flexible gasket 9 in the door. In opening the door, thesprings draw the hinge bolts 18 through the casing brackets 14 until theshoulders 23 on the hinge bolts engage the casing brackets 14 therebyproviding a stationary hinge for the door to swing on.

A saddle 24, removably attached to the top of the lamp casing 3,comprises the bottom wall of the marker-light compartment 2 and the topwall of the compartment 1 containing the focusing device.

The top and rear of the marker-light casing is an L-shaped metal sheet24 wh1ch may be attached to the saddle 24 in any appropriate manner. Alamp socket 25 1s attached to the rear wall of the marker-light casingand a lamp 26 is mounted therein. The two opposite sides of themarker-light casing are closing by cover plates 27 secured to the casing2 by means of swivel bolts 28 and wing nuts 29, the said plates beingmounted on the casing against resilient gaskets 30 in order to excludedust and moisture.

The cover plates are apertured and trans parent markers 31 are mountedtherein against resilient washers 32, as shown in Fig. 4.

The focusing device is attached to the rear wall 33 of the reflectorcasing 3 by means of a hin edclamp 34, a wing nut 35 and a bolt 36. Ecoil spring 37 compressed between the wing nut 35 and the clamp 34 holdsthe focusing device in frictional engagement with the casing when thewing nut is not screwed down, and a second wing nut 38 serves as a locknut.

The focusing device comprises a ball. and socket and a movable spindlemounted therein. A socket 39, formed in the rear wall 33 of thereflector casing, cooperates with the ball member 40 which is heldbetween the wall 33 and the resiliently mounted clamp ()ne end of amovable spindle 41, mounted in ball 40, projects into the reflector caseand has a lamp socket 42 mounted thereon. The other end of the spindleis threaded and passes through a yoke 43 on the ball and is held inadjustable position by nut 44 in the yoke and by lock nuts 45 and 45external thereto. A screw 58 in the yoke 43 extends into the centralspindle opening in the ball 40 and cooperates with a flattened orslotted portion 59 of the spindle 41 and prevents turning thereof.

The compartment is enclosed by the casing 1 suspended from books 46 onthe saddle 24 and is retained by means of a flange in saddle 24. A pairof cam levers 47 attached to brackets 48 on the casing cooperate withspring rings 49 to hold the casing tightly against the saddle and theback of the reflector casing 3. The cam levers are obliquely disposedrelative to the top bearing edge of the casing to provide a pressuretending to maintain the casing 1 against'the casing 3 and the saddle 24.When the cam levers are in the released position, the easing is looselysuspended on the spring rings which may be removed from the hooks 46, asdesired. This structure prevents accidental disengagement of the casingand obviates the danger of dropping the casing.

The lead wires 51 for the marker-light lamp 26 are introduced through abushing 52 in the rear wall of the marker-light casing. Lead wires 53for the lamp 6 in the reflector casing are also brought through thebushing 52, threaded through bushing 54 in the saddle 24 and areconnected to the lamp socket 42. I may place a junction box (not shown)in the marker-light casing and connect the several lead wires thereto.

My invention comprises a headlight structure in which three closedcompartments are combined in a single unit. The headlight is soconstituted that all the compartments are moisture and dust proof, andthe lighting units are thus rendered practically independent of externalconditions. Each compartment is readily and independently accessible forthe purpose of replacement and adjustment of parts. The casings are socombined that any one of them may be opened with out subjecting theothers to external conditions. A feature of particular importance isthat it is seldom necessary to open the reflector casing inasmuch as alladjustments except that of replacing the lamp are performed from a pointexternal to the casing. The reflector is thereby protected fromcorrosion and other depreciating agencies, and the efiiciency of theunit is maintained.

l claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a. reflector 'asing having an opening therein,said casing being adapted to mount a light-supporting device in saidopening, of an enclosing member for a portion of said. device forrendering said casing moisture and dust proof, said enclosing memberincluding a detachable saddle mounted on the exterior of said casing forpartially supporting said member and for forming a wall thereof and awalled member detachably mounted on said saddle and adapted to form acomplete enclosure for said casing.

2. The combination with a reflector casiiig, a marker-light casing andan auxiliary casing, of a saddle detaehably secured to said reflectorcasing, said saddle providing a means of support and a common wall forsaid marker-light and auxiliary casings and means in said saddle and insaid auxiliary casing for securing said auxiliary casing to said saddleand reflector casing and forming an enclosure exterior to said reflectorcasing.

3. In an illuminating device, a reflector case, a light-transmittingdoor thereon, means in said door to effect a moisture-and dust-proofclosure of said door, means exterior to said case to effect amoisture-anddust-proof closure thereof, a detachable saddle mounted onsaid case, a marker-light casing detachably mounted on said saddle, saidsaddle constituting a part of said marker-light casing andlight-transmitting means mounted in said marker-light casing.

4. In an illuminating device, a reflector casing, a light-transmittingdoor thereon, means in said door to effect a moisture-anddust-proofclosure thereof, means exterior of said casing to effect amoisture-and-dustproof closure thereof, a detachable saddle mounted onsaid casing, a marker-light casing detachably mounted on said saddle,said saddle constituting a part of said markerlight casing,light-transmitting means in said marker-light casing and detachablemeans to effect a dust-and-moisture-proof closure of said marker-lightcasing.

5. In an illuminating device, a reflector casing, a light-transmittingdoor therein, means in said door and means exterior to said casing foreffecting a dust-and-moisture-proof closure thereof, a detachable saddlemounted on said case and constituting one wall of an auxiliary casing,spring clamps on the auxiliary casing and hooks on the saddle member toremovably secure the auxiliary casing, said saddle member and saidreflector casing constituting a part of the auxiliary casing.

6. In an illuminating device, a reflector casing, a light-transmittingdoor mounted on floating hinges, resilient means on said doorcooperating With said floating hinges to effect adust-and-moisture-proof closure, said floating hinges tending to openthe door locks to retain the door in its closed position, a saddle, adetachable marker-light casing mounted on the saddle, said saddleconstituting two Walls of the marker-light casing and an auxiliarycasing detachably suspended and in engagement With-the saddle and withthe reflector casing.

7. In an illuminating device, a reflector casing, a light-transmittingdoor having ex ternal floating hinges, resilient means on said doorco-operating With said floating hinges to'effect adust-and-moistureproof closure, said floating hinges tending to .openthe door, locks to retain the door in its closed position, a detachablesaddle, a detachable marker-light casing mounted on said saddle whichconstitutes two walls of said casing, cover plates, transparent markersmounted in saidcover plates, locks to effect a dust-and-moisture-proofclosure of the marker-light casing, an auxiliary casing detachablysuspended and in engagement with the saddle and with the reflectorcasing and a resilient clamping means to effect a closure thereof.

8. In an illuminating device, a reflector casing, a light-transmittingdoor in said casing, means for effecting a dust-and-moistureproofclosure thereof, a saddle detachably mounted on said reflector casing, amarkerlight casing mounted on said saddle and an auxiliary casingdetachably secured to said saddle.

9. In an illuminating device, a reflector casing, a portion of whichconstitutes one wall of an auxiliary casing, a light-transmitting doortherein, resilient means to effect a dust-and-moisture-proof closure ofsaid door, a saddle detachably mounted on said reflector casing, amarker-light casing detachably mounted on said saddle which constitutesa part of said marker-light casing and said auxiliary casing,light-transmitting means in said marker-light casing, means to effect adust-and-moisture-proof closure thereof, said auxiliary casing beingdetachably supported on said saddle by means of resilient clamps andhooks.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th dayof Dec.

JOHN R. T OIVN SEND.

